Knitting machine



Jan. 4, 1955 E. J. LERCH ETAL 2,698,530

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1952 15 Sheets-Sheet 1 RS aWdnZ .1 Lem/7,

ATTORNEYS.

E. J. LERCH ETAL 8,530

KNITTING MACHINE Jan. 4, 1955 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 28, 1952 iii A9194,

INVHVTORS:

Edward J Lei-ab,

Wayne M 777077705017 d2 J0/7 I .H rz rger,

ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 1955 E. J. LERCH ETAL KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1952 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS flankara J. Lara/7, Wayne/H Tim/@5017 &,

BYJah A TTORNE YSv 1955 E. J. LERCH ETAL 2,698,530

KNITTING MACHILE Filed March 28. 1952 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 42

D/REC '/0 V OF CYL IND 5 ROTA T/O V INVENTORS Edward JL arc/2,

Wag/78M. T/m/i sm &

A TTORNEYS,

Jan. 4, 1955 E. J. LERCH ETAL 2,598,530

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1952 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. 2

D/fiECT/O/V OF CYLINDER ROTATION INVENTORS:

Edward J Lara/7, WgyneM glam/7 01; 52.

A TTORNEYS.

1955 E. J. LERCH ETAL 2,693,530

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1952 15 Sheets-Sheet '7 FIG- 3 6F 55 H a a5 INVENTORS Edward J. Le r017 Wayne Mfhangzson db BY ATTORNEYS.

1955 E. J. LERCH ETAL. 2,698,530

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 28. 1952 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 IN VEN TORS Ed wa rd J L e rah, Wayne M Thanps fl (5 A TTORNEYS,

15 Sheets-Sheet 9 E. J. LERcH ET AL KNITTING MACHINE Jan. 4, 1955 Filed March 28, 1952 Jan. 4, 1955 E. J. LERCH ETAL 2,698,530

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1952 15 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTORS; Ea Ward J. Let-ch,

Wig/178M 7770mm & 0 n r eager ATTORNEYS Jan. 4, 1955 J. LERCH r 2,698,530

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1952 15 Sheets-Sheet 11 JNVENTORS: 135/ Edward J. Lara/7, Wayne M. 77101505017 &

J w wa A TTORNEYS E. J. LERCH ETAL KNITTING MACHINE Jan. 4, 1955 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed March 28, 1952 INVENTORS: Edward J Lara/7 yayfie M 77700308017 &. 0 @137; BY iTTORNEYS.

Jan. 4, 1955 E. .1. LERCH El'AL 2,693,530

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1952 15 Sheets-Sheet l3 INVENTORSI Edward J. Ler'ch, Wayne M. Than son A2. Jail H Jfie 67' BY ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 4, 1955 E. J. LERCH ETAL 2,698,530

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1952 15 Sheets-Sheet l4 INVENTORSQ Edward J Lara/1. jW/ajgne 72012375011 1 0 0 figge A TTORNEYS.

1955 E. J. LERCH ET AL 2,593,530

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1952 15 Sheets-Sheet 1E INVENTOR.: EdWfi/zz JL err/1', yaw/16 119117105505011 (Q B EUZFZWL k\ A TTORNEYS I United States Patent Qfifice 2,698,530 Patented Jan. 4, 1955 KNITTING MACHINE Edward J. Lerch, Wayne M. Thompson, and John L. Hornherger, Reading, Pa., assignors to Laurel Hosiery Company, Reading, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 28, 1952, Serial No. 279,134

2 Claims. (CI. 66-14) This invention relates to knitting machines. More particularly, it is concerned with circular stocking knitting machines of the so called "links-links or kornet type having two coaxial cylinders with double ended needles, and selector and transfer means for causing needles to be subdivided between the cylinders to produce fabric with rib stripes of different predeterminable widths.

In connection with knitting machines of the kind referred to having two circumferentially-spaced feeds and correspondingly-located sets of stitch cams, we aim to make possible the production, by use of contrasting yarns in the knitting, of color within color pattern effects of various design configurations, by forming at the outer face of the fabric in certain areas, face loops from one yarn while floating the other yarn at the back of the fabric, and vice versa in surrounding areas.

This obiective is realized in practice as hereinafter more fully disclosed, through the provision of a relatively simple means in the form of an attachment capable of ready incorporation in existent double cylinder stocking knitting machines, without necessitating expensive alterations in their construction, and without in any way interfering with their normal mode of operation.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary view, in side elevation, of a circular links-links or komet knitting machine with a portion of its frame broken away, conveniently embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken as indicated by the ang ed arrows ll-Il in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in transverse section,-taken as indicated by the angled arrows lIllll in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the needle actuating cams and the needle selectors of the machine in linear development.

Fig. 5 shows one of the double ended needles with its associated sliders and with the selector therefor.

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary views corresponding to Fig. 4 drawn to a larger scale, and showing the arrangement of the needles for the formation of the first course of a pattern fi ure.

Figs. 8 and 9 are views like Figs. 6 and 7 showing the arrangement of the needles for the knitting of an inter me iate course of the pattern figure.

Figs. 10 and 11 are views in turn like Figs. 8 and 9 showing the arrangement of the needles for the knitting of the mid course of the pattern figure.

Figs. 12 and 13 are fragmentary detail sectional views taken as indicated by the angled arrows XIIXII and Xl --Xlll in Figs. 2, 10 and 11.

Figs. 14-20 are exploded perspective views showing different positions of mechanism provided in the machine for controlling one of we cams associated with the lower cylinder knitting cams for action upon certain of the needles selected for the patterning.

Fig. 21 shows, in side elevation, a half hose with ornamentation produced in accordance with our invention; and

Fig. 22 is a larger scale view showing in detail the construction of the fabric of the stocking within the area of the broken line rectangle XXII in Fig. 2.1.

With more detailed reference first more particularly to Figs. 1-3 of these illustrations, the two superposed longitudinally-grooved coaxial needle cylinders of the machine are designated by the numerals and 21. The

lower cylinder 20 is rotatively supported in the main bed 22 at the top of the frame 23 of the machine, and is surrounded by the stationary supporting ring 25 for the cams by which the needles are actuated while in said lower cylinder. The longer upper cylinder 21 is rotatively supported in and hung in suspension from a bed plate 26 which is sustained, with interposition of another bed plate 27 at an intermediate level, by columns 28. and 29 from the main bed 22. The upper cylinder 21 is surrounded in turn by the supporting ring 39 for the cams by which the needles are actuated while in said upper cylinder, said ring being afi'ixed to the bottom of intermediate bed plate 27. The cylinders 20 and 21 are rotatcd and oscillated in unison as required in seamless stocking production, through gearing connections (not illustrated) from the main shaft 31 of the machine which, as usual, is provided with drive belt pulleys 32 and 33. The shaft 34 carrying the control drums 35 and 36 is journalled in the machine frame 23, and is stepped about intermittently through a complete rotation in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 for each stocking knitting cycle by suitable racking mechanism, not illustrated) from the main shaft 31 in a well-known manner. During the knitting yarns Y, Y (Fig. 2) of contrasting colors are served to the needles by feeds 37 and 38 located respectively at the main and auxiliary knitting stations A and B. Disposed respectively in the grooves of the lower and upper cylinders 20 and 21 are double butt jacks or sliders 40 and 41 (Figs. 4, 5, 6-11) which are acted upon by the cams in the respective rings 25 and 30; and disposed in the needle grooves in the upper portion of cylinder 21 above the sliders 41 are selectors 43 having upper butts 43a for actuation by a fixed leveling cam 45, and lower butts 43b at different elevations which are adapted to be acted upon by selector cams 46 at corresponding levels. As usual, the selector cams 46 are proiected by studs 47 variously arranged, depending upon the ornamentation with it to be produced, on a pattern control drum 48 which is supported for rotation about a vertical axis, upon the intermediate bed plate 27. Drum 48 is intermittently turned likewise as usual, through one rotation for each patterning cycle, by racking means generally designated 49 in Figs. 1 and 3, said means being actuated by intervening connections (not shown) in a known manner from the drive shaft 31 of the machine.

At the main knitting station A (Figs. 4, 6-11) in the lower cam ring 25 are the usual stitch cams 50 and 51 of which the former only is used in rotary knitting, the usual center cam 52, and the usual guard cams 53, 54 and 55; and at the auxiliary knitting station E in said lower cam ring are the usual stitch cam 56, the usual associated advance depressing cam 57, and the usual guard cams 58 and 59. in advance of the main stitch cams 50 and 51 (as considered with regard to the normal direction of cylinder rotation), are the usual elevating cam 60, the usual transfer cam 61, the usual depressing cam 62, the usual guard cams 63, 64, 65, 66, 67 and 82; and in advance of auxiliary stitch cam 56 are the usual elevating clearing cams 68, 69, and the usual guard cam 70. Immediately following the auxiliary stitch cam 56 are the usual latch clearing cams 71, 72 and 73. At the main knitting sta tion A in the upper cam ring 30 are the usual main stitch cam 75, and the usual depressing and latch clearing cams 76 and 77; and at the auxiliary knitting station B are the usual stitch cam 78 and the usual latch clearing cams 79 and 80. In advance of the stitch cam 75 (as considered with regard to normal cylinder rotation) is the usual transfer cam 81. Since the remaining cams in the upper cam ring 30 are standard, detailed description of them is not believed to be necessary.

In accordance with our invention, the lower cam ring 25 is provided, in advance of the main and auxiliary knitting stations A and B, with special slider elevating and depressing earns and 86 respectively which, as will be seen presently, are independently retractable. Moreover, in accordance with our invention, the guard cams 66 and 67 are cut away as at 66c: and 67a in vertical alignment with special cam 85; while in vertical alignment with special cam 86, we have added to guard cam 68, a small depressing projection 87, and have cutaway guard cam 70 as at 70st.

As best shown in Fig. 12, special cam is affixed to a plunger 88 which is biased inward by a spring 89 and constrained to endwiseaxial movement radially of needle cylinder 20, in a bracket 90 secured to cam ring 25. Bracket 90 is slotted transversely as at 91 to accommodate a lever 92 which is fulcrumed at its lower end, and which is adapted, by cooperation with a pin 93 crosswise of a clevis in the outer end of plunger 88, to withdraw cam 851, At its distal end, lever 92 is connected to a Bowden wire 94, which, see Figs. 1, 2 and 3, extends through a guide tube 95 held by clamp brackets 96 and 97 respectively secured to one of the columns 29 and to the top of machine frame 23. The opposite end of wire 94 is connected to one arm 98 of a bell crank 99 free on a horizontal shaft 100 which is supported in the machine frame 23, said bell crank having a finger projection 101 in the path of a cam ridge 102 on drum 36. A spring 103 influential upon bell crank 99 serves to maintain the finger projection 101 in yielding engagement with cam ridge 102. Connected to the upright arm 105 of bell .crank 99 is one end of a second Bowden Wire 106 which-extends through another guide tube 107 held in fixed brackets 108 and 109 on frame 23. The other end of wire 106 is connected to one extremity of a lever 110 of a timing mechanism about to be described, said arm being medially pivoted to rock about a fixed fulcrum 111. The finger projection 112 at the opposite extremity of lever 110 is in the path of spaced circumferential cam projections, 113 on a disk 115 secured, with capacity for rotative adjustment, to a ratchet wheel 116 which is free upon a stud 117 extending laterally from a fixed bracket 118 on frame 23. Also free on stud 111 is an arm 120 whereto is pivoted, at the distal end, a hook pawl 121 for picking the ratchet wheel 116, said pawl being held to the ratchet by a spring 122. Aflixed to arm 120, at the mid-point, is a finger projection 123 which is adapted to be acted upon by spaced cam lugs'125 on an endless chain 126. As shown,

chain 126 is trained about a sprocket wheel 127, also free on stud 117, and is held in tension by a weighted idler 128 suspended within its loop. Rigidly connected to or integrally formed with sprocket wheel 127 is a ratchet wheel 129 which is adapted to be picked during the patterning by a pawl 145 carried by an angular arm 146 freely fulcrumed on shaft.117. A roller 147 on arm 146 rides the periphery of a cam 148 on a shaft 149 which is constantly driven in unison from the main shaft of the machine through interposed connections, not shown. Normally howevenpawl 145 bears upon the high portion of the eccentric cam edge 150a at the ful crum and of an arm 150, and is thereby held away from ratchet wheel 129, said arm being also free on shaft 117 and carrying a pawl 151 for-picking ratchet wheel 129 at' the start of the patterning as later on explained. Through a link 152, pawl arm 150 is coupled with one extremity 153a of a lever 153 which is medially pivoted on a fixed fulcrum stud 154 projecting laterally from the machine frame 23 as best seen in Fig. 3. Aflixed. to the extremity 153a of lever 153 is a pendent finger 155 which normally rests on a stop link x on chain 126 as shown in Fig. 14. The other extremity 153k of lever 153 has a loose pin connection at 156 With an arm 157 which underlies cam drum 36 and which is fulcrumed to rock about a fixed pivot 158 on the machine frame, as likewise best seen in Fig. 3. The finger projection 157a of arm 157 extends into the range of segmental cam ridges 159 and 160, ridge 159 having a high portion 159a at one end thereof. The spring at '161 tends to urge the lever 153 clockwise for maintenance of the finger'155 normally in engagement with the stop link 125x on chain 126.

Special cam 86 in Figs. 2, 3 and 13, like special cam 85, 1s aflixed to the inner end of 'a plunger constra ned to axial movement radially of needle cylinder 20 m a'stationary bracket 131 on cam ring 25. To the lever 132 for retracting cam 86 against the pressureo'f ingly urged downward with its lower end resting on the top of a finger 141, the latter being fulcrumed about a fixed axis 142 in frame 23-, and is adapted to be actuated by a circumferential'cam ridge 143 on drum 35. The adjustable stop designated 144 in Fig. 13 serves to limit the inward movement of special cam 86.

In order to facilitate understanding of the operation of the machine as above organized, we will first describe, by reference to Figs. 21 and 22, ornamentation such as may be produced by virtue of the present improvements. The stocking exemplified inFig. 21 has, at each side of its leg portion, a panel P containing series of similarrepeat design figures F which are square in configuration with diagonals vertically aligned, and which are characterized by intersecting cross bars which extend between the centers of opposite sides of the squares. From Fig. 22, which shows in detail the construction of one of the design figures, it will be observed that both yarns Y and Y are used continually in the knitting. The yarn Y may, for example, be white, and the yarn Y may be of a contrasting dark color as conventionally indicated by-the stippling.- It is to be noted that the basic fabric of the panelP is plain knitted with its back face outward and with alternate courses formed by loops of yarn Y, and the intermediate courses by loops of the yarn Y. The fabric of the corner areas of each square F are likewise of plain fabric but face outward, with,

the loops thereof formed from the yarn Y only, and with the yarn Y floated to the rear of the component courses. The triangular inset areas are similarly of plain fabric, face outward, with "loops formed from the yarn Y only, and with the yarn Y floated to the rear of the component courses. The cross bars are formed by single reverse loops ,of the yarn Y disposed in different wales in successive courses. The remainder of the leg portion of the stocking between the panels P may be ornamented by face ribs R.

To produce the ornamental figures of the patterning exemplified in Fig. 21 in accordance with our invention, we'employ at each side of the cylinders 20, 21, a set of seventeen patterning needles which are correspondingly numbered in Figs. 6-11 and indicated by vertical lines in Fig; 22. Withthe mid group 6-12 comprising sevenof these needles, we associate', in the lower cylinder 20,

spring 133,'is secured one end of another Bowden Wire 134' which, see Figs. 2 and 3, extends through arguide .tube held in a clamp 136 on. the top of machine frame 23. The other end of wire134 is secured to a lateral lug pro ection '137 on a vertical slide rod 138 which lS,gllldd for up and down movement in the intermediate bed '27 and in a bracket projection 139 on "frame 23. By means of a spring 140, rod 138 is yieldsliders 40a having long bottom butts indicated in solid black in Figs. 6-11 which, aslater on explained, are adapted to be acted upon by special elevating cam 85; and with the five needles 1-5 and 1317 respectively of the two flanking groups we associate, in said lowercylinder, sliders 4% having medium :length bottom butts (line shaded in Figs. 6-11) which are adapted to be acted upon by special depressing cam 86. The sliders 40 provided in the lower cylinder 20 for the remaining needles may, for the purposes of our invention, all have short bottom butts; During knitting of the fabric portion of the leg of the stocking between the ornamented panels, certain groups of needles '18'at spaced circumferential intervals are 'relegated'to the lower'cylinder; while the intervening needles 19 are assigned to the upper cylinder 21. The sliders 40 associated with the needles 18 and 19 are affected by the knitting cams in the lower and upper cam shells 25 and 30 and take and knit both yarns Y and Y respectively at the stations A and B in alternate courses. The top portion T of the stocking in Fig. 21, may be rotatively knitted as 1.x 1

rib fabric from the yarns Y' and Y, with the needles equally divided between the two cylinders and, if desired, withinsertion of elastic for garter purposes.

Since the knitting of the panel at one 'side'or" the stocking is identical to the knitting of the panel at the other side, the following description in the singular will serve for both. For the first course C (Figs. 21 and 22) of the patterning, the center needle 9 of the patterning needles is transferred from the upper cylinder to the lower cylinder as in Fig. 6, and drum shaft 34 is given a rotary shift counterclockwise with the result that cam of Fig. 15, beneath the lug 157a of arm' 157. As a consequence of themovement thereby imparted to arm 157,

lever 153 is turned counterclockwise against the pull of spring 161, with resultant picking of one tooth of ratchet wheel by pawl 151 on arm 150 to advance the stop link 125x of chain 126 from beneath the finger 155 of lever 153, and release at the same time of pawl 145 into engagement with said ratchet wheel to thereafter pick the latter a tooth at a time throughout the patterning period. in the knitting of course C, needle 9 will pass cam 55 (which is still retracted) at the latch clearing level as shown in Fig. 6. Later during the instant rotation of the cylinders, needle 9 will be depressed by knitting cams 52 and 50 at the main station A as in Fig. 6 to take and knit yarn Y from feed 37 and so form a face loop 9" in Fig. 22. immediately after the sliders 46a associ ted respectively with the needles 612 pass stitch cam their long butts will be engaged by special cam 36 and be thereby diverted beneath guard cam 82, with the result that needle 9 connected to one of said sliders is depressed and prevented from taking yarn Y at station 5 as will be readily understood from Fig. 7, and with the further result that yarn will be floated behind loop 9' as in Fig. 22, the rest of the patterning needles remaining in the upper needle cylinder and knitting the yarn Y. For the next course C1 of the patterning, the needles 3 and 10 respectively at opposite sides of center needle 9 are selected and transferred from the upper cylinder to the lower cylinder and thereby caused to knit yarn Y at station A and miss the yarn Y at station B in the same manner. Three face loops 8', 9 and 1% are thus formed in course C1 from yarn Y and the yarn Y floated behind them, the rest of the patterning needles in the upper cylinder having formed reverse loops from knitting yarn Y. Knitting proceeds in a like manner with progressive transfer of additional and patterning needles of the mid group 612 from the upper cylinder to the lower cylinder down to course C for the knitting of which the endmost needles 6 and 12 are transferred back to the upper cylinder as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. As course C is reached, drum shaft 34 is given another rotary shift whereby the high spot 159a of ridge 159 of drum 36 is advanced beyond lug 157:: of finger 157, as a result of which lever 153 is moved to the position of Fig. 16. The first high link 125a of chain 126 in arriving at the same time beneath the finger 123 of lever 12!) actuates the latter, whereby ratchet wheel 11:? is picked a tooth by pawl 121, and the tooth 113a of disk 115 previously beneath finger 112 of arm 110 moved beyond said finger as in Fig. 17, whereby Bowden wire 1% is slackened and special cam 85 is released to the action of its spring and moved to active position. By virtue of being now in the upper cylinder 21, the end needles 6 and 12 of the patterning group will take and knit yarn Y at station A and form the reverse loops 6 and 12' in Fig. 22, and by virtue of being new in the lower cylinder, the needles 4, 5 and 13, 14 of the patterning group will also take the yarn Y and form the face loops 4, 5' and 13, 14'; while the long lower butts of the sliders 49a associated with the remaining needles or said group, in encountering cam 85, will cause said needles to be raised to tuck level and so fail to take the yarn Y at station A. The remaining needles 6-12 of the mid group, in continuing on, will be depressed however by knitting earns 57 and 56 to take and knit yarn Y at station B. Thus, in course C yarn Y is floated between reverse loops 6 and 12' behind the intermediate face loops 7"11 of yarn Y. For course C the needles 6 and 12 of the mid group of patterning needles are transferred to the lower cylinder and the needles 7 and 11 transferred to the upper cylinder; while at the same time, the needles 3 and 15 of the flanking groups of patterning needles are transferred from the upper cylinder to the lower cylinder. Accordingly, as course C is formed, the needles 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 13, 14 and 15 will take and knit yarn Y at station A, and the needles 6, 8, 9, 19 and 12 will take and knit yarn Y at station E. For the next course 0*, the needles 8 and 10 of the mid group are transferred to the upper cylinder and the needles 2 and 16 of the flanking groups transferred to the lower cylinder with resultant formation of reverse loops 8 and 19 of yarn Y by needles 8 and 1t and additional face loops of said yarn by the needles 2 and 16. For course C center needle 9 of the mid patterning group is transferred to the upper cylinder and needles 1 and 17 of flanking group to the lower cylinder, the former producing a reverse loop 9' from yarn Y, and the latter additional face loops from said yarn. Knitting thereupon proceeds as before but with selection and transfer of the needles in reverse order down course C for completion of the first pattern figure. At course C special cam is withdrawn from action as required by arrival of high link 1251) of chain 126 beneath the finger 123 of lever 126 as in Fig. 18 whereby ratchet wheel 216 is picked another tooth by pawl 121 to bring the next projection 11312 of disk beneath the finger 112 of arm 11% for retraction of special cam 85 to inoperative position which it is held during the knitting from course C to course C at which a patterning cycle for the production of the first design figure is completed. Knitting or" the remaining three design figures in Fig. 21 is accomplished in exactly the same way, with the special cam 86 maintained in active position throughout the formation of several figures. Special cam 85 is however introduced into activity at the course C and withdrawn at the course C of each design figure in the same way as described above in connection with formation of the first design figure. It will be seen that the introduction and withdrawal of special cam 85 is eifected through actuation of arm 12%) by the high links of which there are four on chain 126 which latter makes two complete rounds for each design figure. At the completion of the final course C of the last of the design figures and after the last high link 125d of chain 126 has passed beyond the finger 123 of arm 120, drum shaft 34 is given another rotary shift with consequent advances of cam ridge 143 on drum 36 beneath rod 138 to eifect retraction of special cam 86, special cam 35 having been previously retracted upon passage of proiection 113 of disk 115 beneath finger 112 of arm 110 as in Fig. 19 and advance of the low portion of the ridge 159 of drum 36 into engagement with the finger 157a of arm 157. By the latter action, lever 153 is moved slightly and the finger 155 on the arm 153a of said lever brought into the range of the bevelled stop link 125x of chain 126 as also shown in Fig. 19. -Due to the positioning of arm 159 as in Fig. 19, pawl is not fully withdrawn from the ratchet wheel 129 and keeps on picking the latter until the stop link 125x of chain enters beneath the finger and raises the arm 153a of lever 153 by a small amount as will be seen from Fig. 20, just suilicient to cause arm 15%) to be moved to the normal position to fully retract pawl 145 and thereby prevent further picking of ratchet wheel with consequent cessation in the actuation of chain 125. It will be further seen that the timing mechanism cannot function to effect release of special cam 85 as long as the finger 155 of arm 153 rests on the stop link 125x of chain 126, starting of this mechanism being initiated by action of the high spot 1591! of cam ridge 159 of drum. The other high cam projection 1% on drum 36 is provided to prevent operation of the timing mechanism during the knitting of the heel H of the stocking.

Our invention is of course not to be considered as limited to the production of the particular design herein shown and described by way of example, since numerous other configurations and combinations may be formed, as will be readily understood by those familiar with the knitting arts, by changing the arrangement of the pins in the pattern control drum, by using more or less patterning needles, and by differently associating long and medium butt sliders for said needles in the lower cylinder. v

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine, two verticallyarranged longitudinally-grooved coaxial needle cylinders; a complement of double-ended needles including a mid group and two flanking groups of patterning needles; sliders respectively in the grooves of the upper and lower cylinders for the individual needles, the sliders in the lower cylinder corresponding to the mid group of patterning needles having long butts, and the sliders in the lower cylinder corresponding to the flanking groups of the patterning needles having medium length butts; feeds for respectively feeding contrasting yarns at circumferentially-spaced knitting stations; knitting cams at each of said stations for actuat ng the needles when in the respective cylinders; means for selecting and causing transfer of needles of the patterning set in varying numbers from the upper cylinder to the lower cylinder and vice versa for knitting of successive courses of a design pattern; a special cam adapted to act upon the long butt sliders only for diverting corresponding patterning-needles of the mid group, while in the lower cylinder, and causing them to miss the yarn fed at one station; spring vmeans for yieldingly maintaining the special cam in its active position; second special cam adaptedto act upon the medium butt sliders for diverting corresponding needles of the flanking groups of patterning needles and causing them to miss the yarn fed at the other station; means for moving the second-mentioned special cam into active position at the beginning of -the pattern knitting and withdrawing it at the completion of a design figure; and timing mechanism for moving the first-mentioned special cam into and out of active position during the knitting of a portion only of the design figure, said timing means comprising an endless chain and a drive sprocket Wheel therefor, a cam wheel connected to the sprocket wheel and having spaced peripheral projection, a lever arm in the path of the projections on the cam wheel and connected to said first mentioned special cam whereby the latter is held retracted when the arm is engaged by a projection and the cam wheel, and means governed by the chain for intermittently picking the cam wheel.

2. A circular stocking knitting machine, according to claim 1, further including means for stopping the sprocket wheel picking means of the timing mechanism, and for withdrawing both of the special cams and holding, them retracted during oscillatory phases of the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,019,396 Deans et'al. Oct. 29, 1935 2,224,473 Clarke et a1. Dec. 10, 1940 2,286,805 Hurd et al. June 16, 1942 2,412,248 Bristow Dec. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 263,593 Great Britain Jan. '6, 1927 426,276 Great Britain Apr. 1, 1935 675,473 Great Britain July 9,1952 892,162 France Jan. 3, 1944 970,646 France J 1950 one 21, (Corresponding Great Britain 675,473, July 9, 1952) 

